Having previously lied about his age to obtain a job, Bill Smith was drafted into the Army in 1944. Following basic training, the Army was made aware of the false information and Bill was released from duty. Two years later Bill rejoined the Army and by 1947 he was sent for duty in Pusan, Korea. On June 25, 1950, just when Bill was nearing the end of his tour, the North Koreans invaded the south, forcing Bill's time to be extended immediately. Six months later Bill was captured by the Chinese near Unsan, North Korea. Bill spent the next two and a half years in a Chinese POW camp before he was released in April, 1953.
Photos

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Photo of Orene (left) at four years of age along with William (right) at two years of age. (Narrator's Photo)Where:
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Bill Smith while he served in the 7th Division, part of the occupation army in Japan, circa spring of 1950. (Narrator’s photo) Where:
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Bill Smith, April 25, 1953, three days after his release.Where:
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Charlotte's Beaver High School (Bluefield, West Virginia) photograph, 1954.Where:
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In Bluefield, West Virginia, Charlotte and Bill Smith were married on December 24, 1955. Charlotte is holding her white family bible in her hands. This is the dress that Bill picked out for her near the time that he proposed to her.Where:
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In Bluefield, West Virginia, Charlotte and Bill Smith were married on December 24, 1955. Bill was age 27, and Charlotte was age 19. Charlotte's mother decorated the home that the wedding reception took place in on Christmas Eve.Where:
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Family photo, around the mid-1970s. Lisa, age 14, stands behind her parents, Bill and Charlotte Smith.Where:
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